North Wales runners claim honours in Welsh Athletics 3-mile virtual championships

*Jonathan Kettle with another impressive run for 3rd place overall

North Wales runners claim honours in Welsh Athletics 3-mile virtual championships

Report by Don Hale. Most photographs by Steve Jeffery.

Two North Wales runners finished in the top-three finishing positions in last weekend’s Welsh Athletics (WA) 3-mile virtual championships, with just 16-seconds separating the podium places.

In the final 1 to 3 miles WA Winter series, some 244 quality runners completed their efforts in some very difficult weather conditions, often enduring blustery gale-force winds, on a course of their own choosing, and subject to strict Covid-19 restrictions.

James Smith from Colwyn Bay AC followed up with his success at the 2-mile championships last week, with a fine victory in the 3-mile race, claiming the 1^st U17m age category win, in addition to the overall title. 

James ran home in just 15 mins 49 secs, and he was just 6 seconds ahead of 2^nd placed runner Richard Jones from Lliswerry Runners in 15.55, with NWRRC athlete Jonathan Kettle very close behind in 16.05.

Jonathan though, was pleased with his fine form, and was the 2^nd M45 cat winner, and he led home a team of seven club runners, with four others also winning prestigious age category honours and podium placings. 

                                              *Josh Keogh won the Senior Men title

Josh Keogh won the Senior Men age category with another fast finish in 16.34 in 7^th place, and Kevin Slattery was another well-deserved age category victor, winning his Masters M65 group in 22.13 in 83^rd place. Don Hale finished 99^th overall and claimed 2^nd M65 cat in 23.35, and Peter Armstrong enjoyed another excellent run in 101^st place, to win 3^rd place in his M70 age category.

                                 *Kevin Slattery won his M65 age category

Kay Hatton, despite another excellent run, faced some very tough opposition, but finished 98^th overall, and she was 4^th in her F55 cat in 23.22; with Helen Hannam coming home in 136^th place, to complete a brave and painful run just days after her epic 20-mile Dawn till Dusk charity challenge, finishing 7^th in her F45 age cat in 29.20. And Mia Morris representing Colwyn Bay finished 5^th U15G and 111^th overall with a good run in 24.46, accompanied by her father Karl, who unofficially ran 22 mins.

*(Pictured above) Kay Hatton (left) with Mia Morris and (below) Helen Hannam, who ran her 3-mile race just days after her marathon run

*Next weekend marks the start of the Spring virtual races, which begin on Friday 19^th March with the Welsh Athletics Spring Virtual 5k and 10k races. 

The 5k is for U13 and U15 runners, with the 10k aimed at U17 athletes upwards. The minimum entry age for the latter race is 11-years. All events are free to enter and will take place over four days from Friday March 19th to Monday March 22nd, with the closing date for entries this Thursday March 18th.

*Further details are available on the Welsh Athletics website: www.welshathletics.org, or on the following link: 

https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2021/GBR/wa5-10k/